Education, From The Capitol To The Classroom

Stories about students: How does education policy affect the way students learn and grow? Can schools meet their needs as they balance ramped-up testing with personal changes and busy schedules? And are students who need help getting it?

Stories about educators: How are those responsible for implementing education policy in schools − from classroom teachers, to district administrators, to school board members − affected by changes at the top? And how well do they meet their challenge of reaching students with varying abilities and needs?

Stories about school assessment: With an increased push for 'accountability' in schools, what can test scores tell us about teacher effectiveness and student learning − and what can't they tell us? What does the data say about how schools at all levels are performing?

Stories about government influence: Who are the people and groups most instrumental in crafting education policy? What are their priorities and agendas? And how do they work together when they disagree?

Stories about money: How do local, state, and federal governments pay to support the education policies they craft? How do direct costs of going to school − from textbooks to tuition − hit a parent or student's bottom line? And how do changing budgets and funding formulas affect learning and teaching?

The nonprofit group announced Thursday that four different providers would each receive $25,000 for early learning efforts, including pre-kindergarten programs.

Early Learning Indiana President and CEO Ted Maple says early education has numerous benefits for young children.

“When children learn to take turns, learn to control their impulses, learn to work in groups, learn to interact with their peers, they will benefit not just in a pre-K experience, not just in kindergarten, but for many years to come,” Maple says.

The recipients include Ready to Grow St. Joe, in the South Bend area, and the Southern Indiana Early Care and Education Guiding Team. Forward Wayne County, Human Capital Pipeline was also a recipient. So was Success By 6, which operates near Terre Haute.

The grants are funded by a $20 million contribution the Lilly Endowment made to Early Learning Indiana in 2014.

The money will be used over the next year to pay for staff costs, promotion campaigns and planning.